Organisers say they are pleased with the outcome of a second rally held in support of the ACT's same sex civil unions legislation on Saturday.
Around 100 people attended the rally outside the ACT legislative assembly, where Greens MLA Deb Foskey and education minister Andrew Barr spoke to the crowd.
Speeches were also given by Farida Iqbal from the Socialist Alliance and Rebecca Leighton from the Campaign for Civil Unions.
Andrew Burry spoke on behalf of the AIDS Action Council, telling the audience that it was important to "deconstruct ingrained homophobia for the sake of a healthy queer community".
He said coming out in support of civil unions with ceremonies sent the message that "near enough is not good enough".
Campaign for Civil Unions spokeswoman Rebbecca Leighton told IBN News the group wanted the ACT government to press ahead with its legislation.
"We are urging the ACT government to proceed... as soon as possible, even at the risk of a federal government override," she said.
"The... community in this country has been treated as second class citizens for too long, and it is time our relationships were recognised symbolically before the law."
Andrew Barr re-affirmed the government's support for the bill as currently before parliament at the rally.
He also announced that ACT Labor would be removing the last piece of legislation discriminating against gay and lesbian couples in the territory.
Legislation allowing equality of access to parental leave for same-sex parental units is due to be in effect by July, he said.
The first rally for the civil unions bill was held in February. |